Journal-box lubricator



y 6, 1930. f H. w. CODDINGTOIIN ET AL 1,757,619

JOURNAL BOX LUBRICATOR 7 Filed Sept. 15, 1925 V Patented May 6, I936 p 1 UNITED STATES PAreN HARRY w. oonniive'ronnnn HARRY r. GUNNING, or noAno n, VIRGINIAi JOURNAL-BOX L'uBRioA'roa Application filed September 15, 1925. Serial No. 56,441.

Ourinvention relates to journal boxlubricators and more particularly to a type especially designed for conserving lubricating material while at the sanie'time provide 6 ing for the adequate lubrication of the associated journal.

The principalobject of our invention,;generally considered, is the provision ofa journal box lubricator especially adapted for feeding grease or other suitable lubricant to locomotive driving wheel journals along a reduced or narrower circumferential area than usual and distributing said material" from saidireduced area whereby great the use of said lubri-' economy is effected in eating material. 7 7

An ob ect of our invention is tion of a journal box lubricator-which feeds grease or the like to an associated journal along a relatively small circumferentialarea thereofinstead of along nearly half'of the circumferential area whereby a great sav- 'ingiseifected in the consumption of said grease or the like; 7

Another object of our invention is to pr0- vide a journal box lubricator especially adapted to apply hardgrease. to an associated journal, said greasejbeing applied to the lubricator in the formof a relatively hard unyielding cake," the cake being of materially less width than the diameter of the axle, and being positioned beneath the axle with a rubbing plate interposed between the upper surface of the grease cake and the underperipheral surface o f'theaxle, said rubbing plate beingof materially greater width than the width of the grease cake, andbeing perforated over an area corresponding ap proximately to the area of thetop'surfaceof the grease cake, said rubbing plate carrying wings or extensions arranged along thef sides of the perforated area thereof.

vision of wings or shelves on each side of the areathrough which lubricant is fed to a;

journal box, said wings being grooved or V corrugated preferably circumferentially and curved to fit around portions of the Iassociated journal so as to collect and distribute grease or other lubricant to said journal.

sulatingmaterialthereto for the maintenance the produc- I Figure 3 is-aperSpeCtiVe cating'plate of our invention;

also being adapted for the application of inof 'thedesire d temperature when the journal is in operation for causingthe greaseor other lubricant utilized to flow to the desired degree and-properly lubricate the journal.

A still; further object of our invention is the provisionof a journal box; lubricator [which feeds lubricatingnmaterial to an associatedournal along a relatively narrow area and then-distributes the grease from said area along grooves or channels ,111 associatedshelves, said shelves being provided with depending flanges'and a spring pressed follower operating. between said flanges to force lubricating material confined between the flanges and follower through the desired feeding area preferably in the form of a for'facilitating removal of the lubricating plate: According to the invention the perforated section of plate, said depending I I flanges being preferably provided with lugs flanges, ineffect, forma cellar nember sup ported by and housing the grease cake.

There are'other objects and advantages ofthe invention which will become ;more apparentas the description-proceeds; 7

Referring to'the drawings illustrating our invention, the claims: Figure "l is nal box to which an embodiment of ourlu V {:bricator has been applied. Another object of. our invention is the 'pro- I Figure 2 is a sectional view at right angles to that shown in Figure lion the line 2-2 7' 95 thereof;

view of the lubri- V Figured is a transverse sectionof said hibricatingplate as shown in Figure 1 but enlargedfland removed from the ournal box.

scope whereof isdefined by the a a, transverse vertical sectional view throughajourhal andassociated jouras rease, greasy compoundsj'or mixtures.

illustrated applied to a locomotive driving wheel journal be 1' which is supported on one of the journals 2 of a locomotive axle fzind' guided between frame pedestals, not

sliown,1naccordance with the usual practice.

t is obvious, however, that. our lnbricator is adapted for application to other'formsof journal boxes and especially those utilizing ti solid or semi-solid form of'lubricant such .he journal box 1 is provided with a brass 3 applied between the same and the journal 2 inaccordance, with the usual practice A usual form of oilcellar i is shown supported between the lower portions of the. journal box ,1 bymeans ofbolts 5 extending through cooperating apertured lugs ion the journal .Of preferably'axiad box and cellar. V V V V V 'lhe lubr1cat1ng plate of'our mproved lubricator, shown in detailln Figures 8, 4

and 5, is preferably formed with an interine diate'curved portionadapted'to fit around the lower portion ofthe journal 2 and of a eurvature corresponding to said journal and provided with depending side edgeorfiange portions 8 guided between and held in place by the side walls 9v ofthe cellar 4. It will be rap- .arent fromconsidering Figure 3 particularly that the intermediate or curvedportion 10. of our lubricating plate is foraminous or perfm'ated alone the central portion therewith respect to the asso-- ciated journal. That is, the width of said perforated portion is considerably less than the diameter of the journal or the width of V the lubricating plate. On either sideof said fora niinous portion the lubricating plate is preferably corrugated or formed with grooves l in tlie upp'er surfacethereof, said leircumferens in Figure ,8. Theouter and inner edges of the curved poi- 'tion oft-lie lubricating plate 7' are. preferably grooves preferably extendin tially indicated particular? -=."ornied with depending flanges 2 and secured to said flanges are lubricant enclosing and follower guiding members 113, said guiding portions i l extending below the corrugations or grooves 11 and the corresponding portion members preferably comprising depending flange portions extending downwardly Ito either side of the foraminous pfortion of.

the lubricating plate and curved wing or side V Oft lfi lubricating plat-e- '5.

Themembers 13; and the lubricating plate 7., are preferably connected together by rivets or the like extending "through flanges 12 of the lubricating'plate and cooperating" flanges 15 from the-Wingportions 14- of said guidiflgmembers 13.1 The lower edges.. of

saidguiding members 13 are preferably flared outwardly or beaded as indicated at 16 tO'fflCllli'flllG insertion of the follower member 17 between said guiding portions. The

followerl? is preferably flanged downwardly at'its sides, as indicated particularly in Figure 1, for example, so that it is properly guided between the walls of the grease compartment without undesired tilting. The depending flanges of the guiding members 13 may be provided with lugs '18 -f it removal of said lubricating plate 7. The follower 1? is preferably pressed upwardly against a inassof grease l9 oriother suitable lubricating material confined between the guiding portions 13 of the lubricating plate 7 by resilient means, such as a coil spring 20,

preferably attached to the bottom of. said follower 17 by means of'clampingmembers 21. The lower portion of said spring 20 preferably rests upon the floor or bottom wall 22 of the oil cellar 4. I f

' Toy-facilitate the; insertion ofxgrease be tween the follower :17 and the foraminous portion of the lubricatingplate 7, a plurality of controlling wires or rods 2 3 areprefe erably provided connected to the lower surface of thefollower 1;? in any desiiedunan neras by means of apertured plates or cleats 2d embracingthe headed upper ends of said V rods 23 and riveted OPOtllGlWlSQ suitably connected to v said follower 17. The lower ends of said wires or rods 23 preferably extend through the floor or lower wall 22 of the cellar f and are bent or formedintoeyes .25 for the more 'convenient manipulation of said members 23. r p V 7 After the lubricating plate 7 has been positioned as indicated in Figure 1 with the fol.- lower held down by means of the rods-23' extending therefrom, the desired amount of 111-;

bricating material 19 may be applied between the members 13 beneath; the foraminous portion oftheiubr1cat1ng plate 7 and above the follower 1T. hen said follower 17 is released it presses the'lubricant orgrease 1 9 against the perforated portion of the lubricatingplatethereof, efficiently feeding said lubr-icating material to the journal 2 and at the sametime pressing the lubricatingfplate in, i

7 againstsaid journal. On account of said; g,

perforated portion'being relatively narrow-a much lowerrate of grease consumption will be effectedb-y utilizing a device constructed according fto}'ourjinvention. The: wings. or. shelveson either side of the perforated por V e V tion of'the lubricating plate serve to WIPG;

the -journal and collect and distribute the grease thereto, carrying on the surfacethere l of a supply ofsaid grease that is "ava lable immediately upon increase in temperature of the ournal-that would tend to meet? 2 the greaseor produce a hot-bearingi Al;-

though said wingsare preferably grooyed as illustrate'chlthef may, if 'desired,ybe formed plain or grooved in other ways within the spirit and scope of our invention. These unperforated surfaces or wings serve to-protect the associated surface of the journal from foreign material that might deleteriously ef feet the condition of the bearing. Said wings or shelves if desiredmay carry insulating material on the underside thereof either outside of the portions 14 of the guiding members 13 or between said portions and said wings, as indicated at 26, to maintain the desired temperature when the journal is in operation for causing the grease to flow andin using a lubricating plate of the before de scribed type, that a supply of the heavy cylinder stock oil forms over the perforated section of the plate, while the wingsthereof are covered with the heavier grease which seems to act as a seal to prevent waste of oil in excess of that required for lubricating purposes. This lubricating material, which is furnished commercially in the form 0f a rather hard, almost solid, cake of grease of self-supporting consistency, must be subjected by the rubbing of the axle or-journal to more or less physical processing, in order to separate the lubricant from the carrying or solidifying vehicle. been the practice to form such grease cakes of almost the full width of the diameter of the journal and while perforated plates of one character and another have often been,

. cake or of the journal as was practical from The result in servlce structural limitations. has been that the grease has not been subjected to suflicient physical conditioning to economically utilize the lubricating material of the same, because the grease is wiped off of the cake or forced through the perfoQ rations of the rubbing plate for nearlythe full width of the plate. In the present invention, the grease cake is made materially. narrower than the width of the journal and materially narrower than the width of the rubbing plate, which latter, as already de-' scribed, is provided with wings extending to either side of the perforated portion.

It will now be noted that, when the presA sure from the springQO forces thegrease of the cake 19 upwardly through the perforae tions in 10, this limited amount of grease is caught between the under face ofthe journal and the imperforate rubbing portions of r In the past, it has 7 the plate 7, sol'that before it is carried by the journal beyond the limits of the imperforate portion of the plate, it has been forced to yield most of its lubricating properties, and 7 any grease which is carried past the margin .ofthe imperforate portion of the plate and wiped off, no longer contains a'high percentage :of lubricating material. At the same time, a certain amount of the heavier portion of the grease adheres to the imperforate portionof the rubbing plate, and in event the journal begins to heat abnormally, then this heavy residueis acted u'ponby the heat and is forced to give up all remaining lubricating properties that it may possess, thereby immediately making available an increased degree of lubrication when the same is needed. As compared with this action, it will be seen that with the usual type of rubbing plate, the grease is not subjected to the physical conditioning and grease of high lubricating value is carried beyond the margins of the rubbing plate and wasted. i

It will be noted thatthe pressure fromthe spring'20 not only forces the grease cake .up against the perforated portion of the rubbing plate, but also forces the entire rubbing plate,

ing along the entire width of the cellar, or

substantially the entire lower surface of the journal, a considerable amount of grease would remain on either side of the center of the device after the follower became tangent with the lubricating plate. I

In view of the foregoing disclosure of our invention, it will be apparent that wehave provided a lubricating device whichis not only very economical of lubricating material, but which efficiently distributes said lu-v bricatingmaterial and at the same time protects the journal from deleterious foreign matter. i v 7 Having thus described theinvention, we

claim 1. In a journal lubricator, a. plate curved for surrounding the lower surface of a journal, aportion of said plate beingforaminous for feeding lubricating material to the journal, and adjacent portions thereof being grooved for distributing said lubricating material. V V r 2. In a journal lubricator, a lubricating including particularly the wing portions thereof, up against the under surfaceof the- 1 intermediate portion of said surface, axially disposed, being formed with perforations for feeding lubricating material to said journal, portions of said surface on either side of said perforated portion being formed with circumferential grooves for distributingsaid lubricating material. y

3. Ina journal lubricator, a plate fitting around the lower sideof the journal and perforated along only 'a portion of the area adjacent said journal for feeding lubricating material thereto, the remainder of said plate providing relatively large areas. for wiping the journal and distributinglubricating materialthereon, means for forcing lubricating material through the perforations in said plate, and guiding means for said forcing means extending from the bottom of said plate at the sides of the perforated area.

4. In a journal lubricator, a plate curved for engaging the lower surface of a journal. said plate being perforated along an area axialwith respect to said journal and narrower than the curvedportion of the plate,

' tions, said guides serving-to confine a mass for feeding lubricating material to the jour-' nal, the remainder of said plate providing relatively large areas adapted to wipe the journal and distribute lubricating material thereon, guiding means extending downwardly from said plate from edges of the perforated portion, and a follower positioned between said guiding means and springpressed upwardly for forcing lubricating matelrial through the perforated port-ion o'fthe p ate.

5. In a journal lubricator, plate curved for surrounding the lower surface of a j ournal, a portion of said plate being foraminous for feeding lubricating material to the journal, and adjacent portions thereof being grooved for distributing said lubricating material, outer edges of said plate being turned downward and engaging adjacent portions of a cellar for. guiding and maintaining said a plate in place.

6. In a journal lubricator, a lubricating member formed withan upper surface curved coaxially with and adapted to fita journal with which the lubricator is employed, an

intermediate portion of said surface, axially d sposed, being formed with perforations for lubricating material, said member being pro vided with guides extending downwardly from portions thereof adjacent the perforaof lubricating material, and a follower reslll'ently supported" between=said guides for forcing said lubricating material through said perforations. V t

7. In a journal lubricator, a plate curved for engaging the lower surface of a journal, said plate being perforated along an area axial with respect 'to said journal'and substantiallynarrower than the curved portion of the plate, for feeding lubricating material to the-journal, these portions of the plate on either side of the perforated portions providing relatively wide areas for wiping the ournal and distributing lubricating material thereon, guiding means extending downwardly from said plate fromedges'of the perforated portion, a follower positioned be tween said guiding means and spring-pressed Y upwardly for forcing lubricating material through the perforated portion of the plate, and lugs positioned on sald gulding means to facilitate removal of said plate.

.8. In a. journal lubricator, a plate curved for surrounding the lower surface of a journal, a portion of said plate being foraminous for feedingilubricating material to thejour-- rated portion being formed with grooves for distributing said lubricating material to the journal, said member being formed with guides'extendmg from the convex face thereof adjacent the perforations and serving to confine lubricating material therebetween,

and a follower resiliently supported between said guides for feeding lubricating material through said perforations and supporting said lubricating member against said journal and maintainingthe seal between the grooved portions thereon and said journal.

10. In a. journal-lubricator, a plate curved for engaging the lower surface of a journal, said plate being partlyjperforated along an area axial with respectt-o said journal, the

remainder of said plate on opposite sides providing relatively large surfaces adapted to wipe'saidjournal and d stribute lubricating material thereon, guiding means extending downwardly from said plate from edges of theperforated portion, and a follower positioned between and provided with'flanges engagmg sa d guiding means forforcing lubricating material 'through the perforated portion of the plate.

11. In a journallubricator, a lubricating 'mem ber "formed with an upper surface curved coaxlally wlth and adapted to 'fit'a journal said guides for feeding lubricating material through said perforations and supporting" with'which the lubricator 1s employed, an intermediate portion of said surface being formed with perforations for feeding lubris eating material to said journal, portions of said surface on either side of said perforated a portion being formed with grooves for distributing said lubricating material to the journal, said member being formed with guides extending from the convex face thereof adjacentthe perforations and serving to confine lubricating material therebetween, and a follower resiliently supported between said lubricating member against said journal, said follower being formed with depending side flanges adapted to engage the adjacent said cake upwardly against said journal and means supported by said cake for protecting a portion of the journal bearing surface on each side of said cake.

14. A journal 7 lubricator comprising a grease cake of width substantially less than the diameter of the journal, means for urging said cake upwardly against said journal, means supported by said cake for protecting a portion of the journal bearing surface on each side of said cake and a cellar for said cake secured to and supported by said last mentioned means.

' 15. A journal lubricator comprising a grease cake, means for urging said cake upwardlv against the journal and means supported by said cake for protecting the journal bearing surfaces at either side of said cake.

16. In a journal lubricator, the combination of a cellar member havingmeans secured thereto for protecting a portion of the journal bearing surface on each side of said cellar, a grease cake in .said cellar and means for urging said cake upwardly against said journal, said protecting means and said cellar being supported by said grease cake.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

HARRY W. CODDINGTON. HARRY F. OUNNING. 

